Paradise Found
by Stroppythroppy
Summary: Tag to Paradise Lost. Missing scene, what happens after Jack says Because we're about to be rescued.
1. Chapter 1

**Paradise Found**

**Genre: **Romance/Drama

**Summary: **Missing scene, what happens after Jack says: "Because we're about to be rescued."

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything. I wish I did though.

Chapter 1 

Sam couldn't believe how long it had taken her but she had finally figured it out. It had been In front of her the whole time and she hadn't even thought about the moon. She had seen it on her first day on the planet. How could she have been so stupid as to rule that out, she should have considered all the possibilities. Right now all she knew was if she had to stand here, waiting for another hour she would go stir crazy. Which was stupid really considering he had been on that moon for over a month now, a few more minutes shouldn't be an issue? But they were, she wanted to see him now. It had been too long, it didn't matter if it was another day or another minute either way it was too long.

As the ship landed Sam wanted nothing more than to run off the ship as fast as she could, she really needed to just feel his strong arms around her body and just stay there forever. With a reminder of what she had been like the past few weeks she stopped herself running into the arms of her CO, no matter how much she needed it, right now she really didn't need a court martial. Her running off the ship may arouse _some_ suspicion. She decided to stay by teal'c' side to stay at a normal pace. To her surprise teal'c seemed as eager as her to see Jack and ran off the ship heading into the trees, with his actions she felt it was safe for her to run off the ship as well and took off after him.

After what felt like an eternity of running through a field of what looked like yellow daisies she came to a halt at what seemed to be an abandoned camp. A few metres on she could see Teal'c greeting Jack with a bear hug. She felt like she was falling as he looked up at her. His eyes locked with hers and she could see the grin forming on his face as he started his walk towards her. A part of her wanted to run up to him grab on and never let go, another part of her was afraid and just wanted to run in the opposite direction in fear, after a moment she realised her first urge was much too tempting to ignore and gave up as she took a few more steps in his direction.

The moment he had his arms around her she felt tears come to her eyes with joy. This was what she had been waiting for, she had missed him so much these past five weeks. To be standing in his arms right now was like living in paradise.

She was over come with relief and could feel the tears running down her cheeks as Jack buried his face in the side of her neck, she never wanted to let go. The fear of losing him again was so great. She tightened her grip around his shoulders and could feel her self-shake. Jack moved his head back so he could look at her face but didn't break the contact "what's wrong I can feel you shaking?"

She just shook her head as if to dismiss his worry. Jack took a step back and hissed as pain shot up his leg. Sam's face went white and she grabbed on to his t-shirt as he began to sway. "Sir what's wrong?" Jack could hear the panic in her voice and steadied himself "it's nothing, I just hurt my leg that's all. There is this crazy plant that made Maybourne go nuts" at Sam's worried face he stepped towards her again "Carter what's up, I know something's wrong"

Teal'c came to Sam's side and placed his hand on her shoulder "do not worry O'Neil it is not the first time she has acted in this way" Sam turned around and made a threatening face, Teal'c merely raised an eyebrow.

Jack turned to face Teal'c as if for conformation then turned back to Sam "See I knew something was wrong"

Teal'c stepped forward again "I believe she missed you O'Neill."

Sam turned around in shock "Teal'c! I can't believe you just said that!"

Jack turned to Sam hurt "you didn't miss me?"

Sam turned to face Jack "of course I missed you but he didn't have to tell everyone"

Jack turned and looked around them and motioned to the emptiness of the area, Sam looked at him like an annoying child "you know what I mean"

Jack's face broke into a huge smile "so you really missed me?" he stepped forward. Sam couldn't resist smiling back "yes" she managed to say between the uncontrollable grin that was now about to rip her face in two.

Jack moved forward and put one arm over Sam's shoulder and waved his other arm at Teal'c "Teal'c mind giving me a hand"

"I do not O'Neil" Teal'c stepped forward and pulled Jacks arm in to the air. Jack limped his way to the ship and sat down on one of the seats nearest the door. "Sir, why don't you sit in here?" Sam motioned to the space in the back of the ship where there were more seats that looked a lot comfier than the one he was currently occupying. "Sure Carter, but I'll need a hand".

Sam walked up to him and put her arm round his waist and pulled him to his feet. As they started to walk Jack started to topple. With Jack toppling over Sam got pushed against a wall with Jack's arms on either side of her arms, which now meant they were holding the other up. Once Jack had steadied himself he realised where he was "Eh Teal'c a little help here, I can't move" Teal'c walked in to the back of the ship to see Sam being pinned against a wall by Jack, and unable to move.

To Jack's and Sam's surprise Teal'c walked straight past them to their baggage "Eh Teal'c, were stuck."

Teal'c carried on going through the bag "Of that I am certain Major Carter" Teal'c stopped going through the bag "I have been instructed to use this by Daniel Jackson" Teal'c walked over to Sam and Jack still stuck against the wall with one hand behind his back.

"Teal'c come on what have you got behind you're back"

"This O'Neil" Jack's and Sam's faces turned white as they saw the camera in his hand.

"Teal'c as you're commanding officer I am ordering you to put the camera down" Teal'c carried on taking photos with the camera

"I am not in the air force O'Neil" Sam being so close to Jack could see how annoyed he was getting.

"Eh Teal'c if you don't put that down I think colonel O'Neil is gonna get himself hurt"

"Carter" Sam looked at Jack's exasperated face and shrugged. Teal'c finally put the camera down and helped Jack to one of the seats as a Tokra medic ran to his side while Sam went to lie on one of the beds. A couple of hours later Sam was woken with a jolt and opened her eyes to see Jack stood above her "Carter I've been trying to wake you up for the past five minutes, why are you so tired? Have you left you're lab at least once this past month" Teal'c walked up to Jack's side while Sam woke herself up

"She has been finding you O'Neil" Jack looked at Sam for confirmation, she was too tired to argue and just shrugged off his scolding look.

Jack opened his mouth as his scolding look turned to one of concern and annoyance. "You mean you haven't left you're lab in … what …over five weeks" Sam looked away from him to the floor, knowing that if he saw her eyes he would know. "Do not worry O'Neill, I took her regular sustenance"

Seeing the mischievous grin on teal'c' face and the guilty look in his eyes Sam realised he was doing this on purpose "Teal'c would you shut up" At Major Carters sudden outburst Teal'c raised an eyebrow, keeping the subtle grin on his face that only those who knew him well would see, he turned and walked back to the hull of the ship.

Teal'cs grin did not go unnoticed by Jack. As he turned back to Sam he noticed for the first time how tired she looked. She shouldn't have spent all that time in her lab none stop to save his sorry ass. She was much too smart to be worrying about him stuck off world. "Next time I'm stuck off world I'm banning you from you're lab"

Sam's look of absolute exhaustion was taken over by one of anger and hurt "don't you dare" she warned him; momentarily forgetting he was her commanding officer.

"Excuse me Carter but I can if I want to, look at you, you can barely stand on your own two feet"

"I don't care if you're my commanding officer you can't do that" Sam stood up from her position on what she supposed was a bed of some kind.

Jack grabbed her arm to steady her on her feet "see you can't even stand up on your own"

Sam's hands clutched the edge of the "bed" trying to steady her body on her own "I don't care if I can't stand up, it doesn't matter"

Jack gripped both her arms now as she began to sway slightly to the side, how she could even think it didn't matter. She couldn't stand up which just proved how little food and sleep she'd been getting "of course it matters!" Teal'c turned towards them as he heard the raised voices. He could see the dam of emotions breaking down on both his friends' faces, and knew it wouldn't be long before the dam broke in a big show of emotions. As he turned back to the hull he noticed several Tokra had also noticed his friend's outburst and turned back towards said friends and closed the door to give them more privacy.

They both glared just as stubborn as the other in giving up. They where both fuming with anger Jack couldn't believe how she thought nothing of not being able to stand on her own two feet while Sam found it ridiculous that he even thought about banning her from her lab when he was missing, in the end it wasn't up to him "what does it matter that I'm a little low on energy, you're not stuck on that god dam moon anymore that is all that matters?"

"No it's not Carter because you're not just a little low on energy you can't hold your own weight off the ground. There is no point in working you're self to death to get me back to earth if you're dead when I get there!" at this point Jack had moved more towards her trying to intimidate her with his height. Unfortunately for him Sam wasn't one to back down so easily, but as his last words began to sink in the anger left her face and was replaced with something Jack didn't quite recognise.

As Jack watched her face his own anger began to leave his body. He let out a long sigh as he realised what he had just said. Why couldn't he just keep his big mouth shut? Sam looked down at the floor trying to hide the tears that where now forming in her eyes.

Jack couldn't have missed the tears a mile away even if he tried. Sam didn't know how to react when she felt his hands move one down her arm to her back and the other to her shoulder pulling her into his arms. So she did the one thing that made most sense to her. She held on to his T-shirt for dear life hiding her tear soaked face in his neck and hoped she would never have to let go.

TBC…


	2. Chapter 2

Genre: Romance, Drama, alternate reality 

**Summary: **Missing scene, what happens after Jack says: "Because we're about to be rescued."

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything, wish I did though.

Previously 

"No it's not Carter because you're not just a little low on energy you can't hold your own weight off the ground. There is no point in working you're self to death to get me back to earth if you're dead when I get there!"

Jack couldn't have missed the tears a mile away even if he tried. Sam didn't know how to react when she felt his hands move one down her arm to her back and the other to her shoulder pulling her into his arms. So she did the one thing that made most sense to her. She held on to his T-shirt for dear life hiding her tear soaked face in his neck and hoping she would never have to let go.

Chapter 2 

Well apparently hoping wasn't enough to stop reality kicking it's way in. Sam could feel Jack starting to pull away from her trying to see her face. Sam however wasn't ready to pull away yet and snuggled further into his arms refusing to be moved.

Jack could feel the tight grip around his waist and realised it would probably take a small army to loosen it. Jack deciding if he was going to have her snuggled in his arms he would rather be sat down and comfy so he could enjoy it before his inevitable court martial.

Jack turned so he was facing the bed with Sam still in his arms and slid down on to it leaning on the wall. With their new position they both shifted. Sam now had her arm tightly over his chest snuggled up to his side with one of his arms wrapped around her shoulder and the other on her waist pulling her as close as humanly possible.

Sam could tell her face still had tears running down it. She could feel the slight tickle of the gentle liquid as it slid down her cheeks to her chin and then on to her T-shirt. She wasn't actually crying anymore but her vision was still blurry with the excess moisture of her tears. What was she doing? She was on a Tokra ship practically lying in her Commanding Officers arms… and she was crying. She felt the overwhelming feeling of mixed emotions as hundreds of emotions and choices ran through her head. Only one of them seemed like a reasonable option right know. _Stay; stay for as long as possible, forever if you can._

She had made up her mind right then and there, no more staying in the room or hiding her deepest feelings from everyone around her. She wanted a life, a real life outside of work, beside team nights they didn't count. She wanted dinner at restaurants with only one other occupant, she wanted nights cuddled up on the sofa watching movies that nobody like's but watches them anyway because there classics. She wanted to be able to walk up to the man she loves and kiss him just because she feels like it. But she only wanted this with one person, could only imagine it with one person. . . And that one person was the man currently sat beside her, cradling her in his arms.

Sam sniffed into Jacks shoulder as she shifted her weight, snuggling into him. She could now reach her head up and rest it on his shoulder, Sam looked up at him to see his own eyes watching her with concern "This isn't fair".

Jack brought his hand up to her face, "No it's not fair," he whispered as he wiped away her tears with the pad of his thumb.

"Promise me that if god forbid I go missing again, you spend at least one night a week in your own bed at home and eat at least one proper meal a day" Jack pleaded with his eyes for her to agree but deep down he already knew he wouldn't be getting a straight yes out of her.

Sam looked deep into his eyes and saw the pain she had caused him staring her in the face. "I can't," she answered simply as if it was impossible (not that that would stop her). Jack sighed, he had expected as much "why not? Why can't you just leave you're lab once a week"

"Because my lab will be the only place I work from now on especially if you're missing"

Jack looked down at her with a look of confusion "what do you mean?"

Sam brought her hand up to caress his cheek with her thumb like he had done to calm heronly moments ago. "I can't do this any more, I can't go through the gate every week with the possibility of not coming back or coming back with you in a body bag or not coming back with you at all. I can't live with the possibility of dyeing without telling you how I feel… I can't move on and I won't and if the only way is to give up gate travel completely then I'll do it. I just know I can't live like this anymore"

Jack let out a sigh of relief or frustration, he wasn't sure "I'm not gonna let you give up you're job Sam" as she opened her mouth to protest he placed his thumb over her mouth to silence her "you don't need to, it would be pointless". Sam raised her eyebrows in confusion in a way that Jack found completely adorable, before she had a chance to ask the question despite his thumb he answered it for her. "I'm already retiring, and before you say anything I decided before you so you can't argue with me. I decided on that moon. I was sat on the dock by the lake you saw when you picked me up…" He stopped when Sam raised her eyebrows in confusion. "What lake?"

"The one right next to the camp you found me at" When Jack saw no sign of recollection on her face and she still looked as confused as before he carried on explaining. "It was right next to us when you picked me up" Sam seemed to understand what he was talking about after that. "I never noticed a lake..." when Jack looked at her with a slightly worried face she couldn't suppress a giggle "I was a little distracted, I barley noticed the camp" Jack was amazed. How could a mess like him distract this brilliant woman when there was a gorgeous lake right in front of her? When Sam looked up at him with an expecting look he got over his amazement and carried on his explanation. "Anyway I was sat on the dock and I remembered my cabin up in Colorado and I couldn't stand the thought of never being able to take you up there" he caressed her cheek with the pad of his thumb again.

Sam kept eye contact for a moment before turning to face the floor. "I can't let you retire Jack" She turned back to him again looking into his sad eyes. "Anymore than you're gonna let me. You're needed at the SGC we all need you there." Jack shook his head "I could still be at the SGC as a civilian, just not you're commanding officer. If we can persuade Hammond to call in a few favours, I might even be able to stay on SG1."

Jack looked down at her tired eyes with hope. All she had to do was say yes. If it went wrong and Hammond couldn't help then he could still retire. Sam nodded her head as she snuggled back into his side. "Wow" she whispered, "I can't believe we're really going to do this"

Sam looked up into his eyes. "Well you better because you can't change you're mind" Jack said not even trying to hide the mischievous grin on his face. "You're stuck with me now, you're not getting out of this" it was more of a question than a statement.

Sam snuggled into his shoulder more "I'm ok with that" she replied, not missing the smile on his face before she closed her eyes.

"Good" he whispered to her whilst stroking her hair off her forehead. Unaware he was putting her to sleep. As her breathing steadied and his hand began to tire he felt for the first time how tired he felt himself. Closing his eyes Jack whispered five last words in her ear before he joined her in slumber. "I love you Samantha, always"


End file.
